The 2026 NIWFA Barclays league got underway this week with the first games of the Championship kicking off the new season.

Sion Swifts laid down an early marker of their intentions for the new season as they brushed aside Mid Ulster Ladies 6-1 in their opening fixture on Wednesday night. Goals from Hannah Gibson and Ciara McAleer gave the Swifts the perfect start, and although Mid Ulster Ladies pulled one back through Sorcha Lucas before the break, strikes in the second half from Brooke Milligan and Zahara Leckey, along with two more from Gibson, to complete her hat-trick, saw the hosts storm to a winning start.

 

Bangor Ladies were also amongst the goals, although they were thwarted for most of the first half by a resilient Strabane Athletic Ladies, who were making their debut in the Championship. The opening goal eventually came in first-half stoppage time when Janine Jess bundled the ball home following a corner to give the hosts a slender lead. Buoyed by that goal, Bangor then upped the pace in the second half with a single strike from Amber Dempster and a double from Olivia Marshall saw them secure a 4-0 victory. Match highlights from this game are online elsewhere on our social media.

 

The division’s other promoted side, Craigavon City Ladies, got their season off to the perfect start as they edged home 1-0 against Ballyclare Comrades Ladies thanks to a 58th-minute goal from Shannon Coleman.

 

In the division’s final game this week, it was honours even as Ballymena United Women and Ballymoney United Ladies drew 1-1 at the Showgrounds. Aine McCalister scored the first goal of the season after she gave Ballymoney the lead in the first minute of the game, with Ballymena eventually equalising on 87 minutes through a Megan Henry strike.